title: Psychological assessment of primary aldosteronism: a controlled study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Our objective was to investigate psychological correlates in a population with primary aldosteronism (PA) using methods found to be sensitive and reliable in psychosomatic research.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-three PA patients (12 male, 11 female; mean age 50 ± 9 yr) were compared with 23 patients with essential hypertension (EH) (15 male, eight female; mean age 47 ± 8 yr) and 23 matched normotensive subjects. A modified version of the Structural Clinical Interview for DSM-IV, a shortened version of the structured interview for the Diagnostic Criteria for Psychosomatic Research, and two self-rating questionnaires, the Psychosocial Index and the Symptom Questionnaire, were administered.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twelve of 23 patients with PA (52.2%) suffered from an anxiety disorder compared with four of 23 with EH (17.4%) and one control (4.3%) (P < 0.001). Generalized anxiety disorder was more frequent in PA than in EH patients and controls (P < 0.05). As assessed by Diagnostic Criteria for Psychosomatic Research, irritable mood was more frequent in PA and EH compared with controls (P < 0.05) but did not differentiate PA from EH. According to Psychosocial Index results, patients with PA had higher levels of stress (P < 0.01) and psychological distress (P < 0.01) and lower level of well-being (P < 0.05) than controls. Compared with EH patients, PA patients had higher scores in stress subscale (P < 0.05). The Symptom Questionnaire showed higher levels of anxiety (P < 0.01), depression (P < 0.01) and somatization (P < 0.01) and lower physical well-being (P < 0.05) in PA than controls.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A role of mineralocorticoid regulatory mechanisms in clinical situations concerned with anxiety and stress is suggested.
authors.affiliation: Department of Statistical Sciences, University of Padova, 35128 Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: Nicoletta
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sonino
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tomba
authors.forename: Maria Luisa
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Genesia
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bertello
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mulatero
authors.forename: Franco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Veglio
authors.forename: Giovanni A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Fava
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Fallo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006929:Hyperaldosteronism / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology*; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires